Rights of use of the image material: Inselspital Bern
Music: Kevin McLeod – Impact prelude – Usage license: Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Background
Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition in which sudden, severe attacks of pain occur in the facial area. This pain is usually one-sided and can last from a few seconds to two minutes. The pain is typically localized in the areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve and can be triggered by everyday activities (talking, chewing, brushing teeth, touching the face, etc.). The pain attacks can be so frequent and intense that they lead to considerable impairment in the daily lives of those affected.
If there is no vascular nerve conflict, i.e. compression of the trigeminal nerve by nearby blood vessels, and drug therapy is not successful, balloon compression can be used. In this procedure, a fine catheter is passed through the patient’s cheek to the base of the skull under light sedation or general anesthesia. Under X-ray control, the tip of the catheter is inserted into the skull through a natural opening in the skull bone (foramen ovale – the trigeminal nerve also runs through this opening).
At the end of the catheter is a small, inflatable balloon. As soon as the catheter is correctly positioned, the balloon is slowly inflated. This in turn creates pressure on the Gasser ganglion, a collection of nerve cells of the trigeminal nerve. The pressure causes temporary damage to the pain fibers, which reduces the pain.
Project description
We created 3D animated sequences of a balloon compression for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia for a patient information film at the Inselspital in Bern. The animated scenes were integrated into a larger information film of real footage and visualized the disease and the procedure for an easier understanding by the patient.
The first part of the animation shows the head of a patient with skeleton and trigeminal nerve. The pain caused by the neuralgia is visualized by red pain areas. The camera pans to a lateral view of the skull. Here, a part of the skull (temporal bone) is faded out to allow a view of the nerve node of the Gasser ganglion.
In the second part of the animation, the actual procedure is visualized: A catheter is guided through the patient’s cheek to the base of the skull with the mouth open. The tip of the catheter is then inserted through the foramen ovale under X-ray control. When the catheter is correctly positioned at the Gasser ganglion, a balloon is slowly inflated at its end. This balloon applies pressure to the ganglion and reduces the pain by temporarily damaging the pain fibers.
At the end of the animation, the head of a pain-free patient is shown.
Project details animation Balloon compression
Conten: 3D animated sequences
Use: Information film for patient for use on website or doctor’s consultation
Specs: Full-HD, 0:35 min.
Client: Inselspital Bern, Universitätsklinik für Neurochirurgie, Dr. Andreas Nowacki
The rights of use of the images shown here are held by the client; use is not permitted. Images are protected by watermarks.
